U.S. Representative Ro Khanna, who was recently re-elected to Congress from California, has publicly stated his opposition to "Hindu nationalism" while expressing support for student-led protests in India. Mr. Khanna, who serves as the Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian-Americans, made these remarks in response to inquiries regarding his stance on current developments in India, including ongoing student agitation related to examination leaks and voter rolls.
In a social media statement posted on Friday, Mr. Khanna noted his commitment to the pluralistic vision of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru. He highlighted his personal connection to India, mentioning that his maternal grandfather, Amarnath Vidyalankar, was a participant in the independence movement and served as a Member of Parliament until 1977. These comments mark a notable shift for the lawmaker, who has previously engaged extensively with the Indian government, including leading a bipartisan delegation to India in 2023 for Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort.
While the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) did not issue a formal response to the congressman's remarks, the reaction from other government circles was swift. Kanchan Gupta, a senior advisor to the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, criticized Mr. Khanna on social media. Mr. Gupta specifically questioned Mr. Khanna's critique of Indian democracy by invoking the history of his grandfather, Amarnath Vidyalankar, alleging that he supported the Emergency period imposed by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1975.
The controversy surrounding Mr. Khanna’s statements coincided with a separate announcement from the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF). The advisory body issued statements expressing concern over what it described as "vigilante attacks" on gurdwaras in India. USCIRF Commissioners David Anderson and Joe Grogan claimed that these incidents, which included reports of harm to religious leaders, hindered the freedom of religious belief. They further suggested that the U.S. government should link security assistance to India's response to such violence.
Although the USCIRF officials did not provide specific details in their public statements, their remarks are understood to refer to recent incidents involving gunfire at two gurdwaras in Ludhiana. However, local investigations conducted by the Punjab Police have yielded a different perspective. Authorities reported that at least one of these attacks was perpetrated by personnel associated with the gurdwara, leading investigators to rule out a religious motive behind the violence.
The Ministry of External Affairs has historically dismissed reports and statements from the USCIRF. The Indian government has previously characterized the commission as an entity that relies on questionable sources and presents a distorted, selective narrative regarding India's internal affairs. Officials have maintained that such reports are driven by ideological agendas rather than objective, ground-level facts.
The diplomatic friction arrives during a period of complex U.S.-India relations. Mr. Khanna, once a key proponent of strengthening ties, previously authored a legislative amendment in 2022 that secured India a waiver from punitive sanctions under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA). As both sides navigate these recent statements, the focus remains on whether these developments will influence the broader bilateral engagement or simply remain a point of rhetorical disagreement between various political stakeholders in both nations.
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